PRESENTATION OF FLAGS. 147 



The chiefs and their followers kept arriving till 

 about three thousand were massed together, all 

 of course in full war-dress. When they had 

 taken up their several positions the Governor- 

 General and suite arrived in full uniform, and 

 attended by a guard of honour of one hundred 

 sailors from the corvette. Then began a series 

 of dances and manoeuvres all most novel and 

 interesting to me, one grand united rush with 

 levelled assegais and shields held up being espe- 

 cially imposing, and I could not help thinking 

 at the time what very little protection the hand- 

 ful of soldiers here could afford, either to the 

 white inhabitants in time of danger or to the 

 various tribes claiming such protection. 



Kafir dances, I expect, are very much alike 

 in all parts, the most noticeable feature to me 

 being the mighty stamp in perfect unison of so 

 many feet, and the strange wailing sort of chant 

 accompanying each thud on the ground. 



When all the performances were finished, the 

 Governor-General paraded amongst the Kafirs, 

 presenting a flag to each chief with a few suit- 



